We were sitting in the lodging house, the next day, after a day of selling, trying to enjoy the evening, but there was a nervous tension that soured the mood. I sat, trying to explain the basis of poker to Raven, but not having much luck. Even I was unable to sit still. I was still jittery after the visit yesterday, and I couldn't help but feel like something was going to happen.

I was tapping my foot, distracted, staring out the window, at the busy street. I was so zoned out that I nearly jumped as a knock hit the door. I looked around at the boys, who were all staring at me. I quickly stood up, shoving my hair up into my hat, before opening the door.

I almost laughed. "What do you want Conlon?"

He sneered at me. "Manhattan needs help."

"Interesting," I stated, with little to no emotion in my voice. "Why did you come to me?"

"Because," He started. "They are being attacked by scabs and police men, and I thought I might include you in beating them up."

I raised an eyebrow. Anyone could tell he needed help because he didn't have enough boys, but to be fair, all of us were too proud that we needed help. "Fine, we'll come."

He blinked in surprise. "Just like that?"

"Yes. Unless you don't want my help."

He rose his hands in surrender and stepped back as I gestured to the boys, who had all been listening on the conversation. I stood back and quickly countedas they all rushed out the door, heading towards Manhattan. Once I was satisfied, I turned and stepped out the door, waving good-bye to the caretaker as I closed the door.

I ended up in a steady jog next to Spot, much to my dismay. We reached the Manhattan border and all the Queens newsies had stopped, looking back at me for instructions. I turned to Spot.

"Where are we going?"

He scoffed. "You mean you don't know the way around Manhattan?"

I rolled my eyes and said sarcastically. "No, I don't, because I don't bother sending people into look for me, because I can keep my nose in my own business."

He clenched his fists. "Listen here Shrimp," Shrimp? Oh I was going to punch his arrogant face. "I don't care-" He was cut off by a boy from Brooklyn stepping forwards.

"Spot, this isn't the best time." I assumed it was his second, although I doubted Spot would listen to anybody unless they punched him in the face.

Spot huffed angrily and I smirked.

"This way," He headed to the front of the group, leading the boys away.

Ladders came to stand next to me. "Maybe you shouldn't antagonize him so much."

I smiled cheekily at him. "I don't have a clue what you mean."

He slapped my hat and I quickly put my hands up to keep it from falling off and exposing my gender. I gave him a quick glare.

"I'm sorry. But seriously, you are making him mad."

"That's the point. He's kind of funny when he's angry." I replied.

"Just try not to kill him, maybe an alliance with Brooklyn wouldn't be a bad idea."

I gave him a look. The last time Queens had an alliance with Brooklyn, they backstabbed us and killed a boy from our turf. That was why, after the turf war was finished, Queens closed its borders and nobody was allowed on it without the leaders knowing.

He threw his hands up in surrender. "You know what I mean."

I nodded. "I'll try, but if he calls me shrimp again, I am going to smack him."

Ladders laughed. "You are kind of small."

I stuck my tongue out at him. "I may be short, but you are still beneath me."

He shook his head in amusement as we stopped in front of the gates to the world. Sure enough, inside was a giant brawl. I rolled my eyes. Couldn't people do anything without violence? Spot gestured for me to lead the way.

I narrowed my eyes at him and gave him a filthy gesture as I lead the way through the doors, the first into the danger.

I was almost immediately in the action, punching a tall man in the jaw and watched as he fell to the ground from the impact. I smirked and glanced out of the corner of my eye, watching as Spot punched a scab.

I paused for a moment, adjusting my hat to make sure that it was on tight, and wasn't going to fly off, revealing me to everyone. Once I was satisfied, I continued fighting, kicking a scab in the shins and then kneeing him, snorting as he fell to the ground.

He growled me and slammed his fist into my side. The breath flew out of me and I gasped. He had been wearing brass knuckles. I used my right hand to touch where he hit. It was most likely bleeding, but I couldn't check at this time, for fear of showing my bindings. Not to mention I was in the middle of a fight.

Blue let out a shout and I turned towards him, jogging around people to get to him. He smirked as I approached and ducked, allowing me to hit the scab that was far too big for him to be fighting. I glanced around and noticed that the fighting was dying down as the scabs began to run off.

There was a whistle and my head shot up. A young women, with long red hair was approaching, along with a camera man. The newsies all froze, grins on their faces as she snapped a photo.

I looked around as they began throwing papers in the air. We should leave, those scabs could be going to get cops.

I pressed a hand to the wound through my shirt and pulled my hand back, my eyes widening at the blood. He got me harder then I thought. The adrenline would be wearing off soon, and then the pain would start to affect me. I needed to look at it, before anyone noticed, and the cops got back.

I leaned over to Ladders. "Can you buy me five minutes?'

He looked down at me, and his eyes widened at the blood on my shirt and palm. "Someone got you good. Sure, don't be gone long though. Someone will notice through all this insanity."

I nodded. "Thanks."

I ducked away, keeping a hand pressed to my side as I walked away, trying to look like as if I wasn't in increasingly worse pain, and as if I was walking off to do something normal, that didn't require my shirt being removed.

I walked about a block, before I stepped into a shaded alley and leaned against the cool bricks, breathing heavily.

I threw off the vest and my hat, letting my hair fall down onto my back, and the clothing to fall onto the ground.

My fingers were shaking as I unbuttoned my over shirt. I shrugged it off, letting it fall into the pile of clothing that was forming. The blood had soaked through my under shirt, and I gasped as I tugged it up, over my head, my modesty still mildly protected by the cloth bindings I used to hide my 'female assets'.

I hissed in pain as I ripped off a section of my bindings and tied it around my stomach, covering my wound.

I let out a sigh of relief and leaned my head back against the wall, letting out a breath and shutting my eyes.

"You're a girl?"